A chaotic situation unfolded at the Likoni ferry crossing on Saturday night when a stampede broke out as hundreds of passengers rushed to board the ferry, injuring four people, including a 17-year-old boy.
According to witnesses the incident occurred shortly before 8:00 PM when passengers, eager to cross the busy channel, overwhelmed the ferry terminal.
The situation escalated as the MV Likoni, one of the main ferries in operation, was approaching its docking point.
Passengers, anxious to secure a spot aboard the vessel, began jumping onto the ferry before it had come to a complete stop, resulting in a surge of people that led to the injuries.
“Some of the passengers began jumping onto the ferry even before it had been properly docked, leading to the chaotic scenes,” said a Kenya Ferry Services official.
The rush was exacerbated by the unexpected breakdown of MV Jambo, another dependable ferry, which had been taken out of service, further straining the operations at the crossing point and increasing passenger congestion.
Kenya Ferry Services confirmed that their security stewards were overwhelmed by the sheer number of people patiently waiting to board, indicating a lack of crowd control measures during peak hours.
The injured individuals were quickly transported to Mombasa General Hospital for medical attention. Fortunately, two of the injured were treated and later discharged, while the remaining two are still under observation at the hospital.
